Liquid fuel feeding system



April 9 5'2" w. L. JOHNSON 2,590,972

LIQUID FUEL FEEDING SYSTEM Filed July 50, 1947 Fig. 6.

Inventor Walter L. Johnson By M a Attorneys Patented Apr. 1, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in liquid fuel feeding systems for internal combustion engines and more particularly to an auxiliary fuel tank connected in the fuel supply line between the fuel pump and carburetor of the engine to aid in the running of the engine, and more especially when starting the engine.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an auxiliary fuel tank of this character having a vent opening in its top and providing a float controlled valve at the inlet to the tank to prevent overflow of fuel through the vent.

A further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is efficient and reliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing the auxiliary fuel tank mounted in position on an engine;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on a line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on a line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on a line 55 of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is a top plan view.

Referring now to the drawing in detail wherein, for the purpose of illustration, I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates a tank of predetermined capacity attached to the front side of the fire wall 6 of an automobile or other motor vehicle by means of an attaching bracket 1.

The top of the tank 5 is closed by a cover plate 8 removably secured to the tank by screws or the like 9.

A fitting l extends through the cover plate with a fuel pipe ll attached to its upper end leading from the fuel pump (not shown) of an internal combustion engine [2, and to the lower end of the fitting I0 is secured a valve seat l3 having a downwardly extending guide I4 in which a needle valve I is slidably positioned for upward closing movement on the seat I3.

A bracket I 6 extends downwardly from the under side of the cover plate 8 and to the lower end of which is pivoted a float arm I! having a float l8 attached at its outer end. The lower end of the needle valve 15 is attached to the float arm I! by a resilient bracket IS.

The mechanism comprising the float-actuated valve [5 is enclosed in a ca e 20 of fine mesh screening or other suitable filtering material secured to the under side of the cover plate 8 and removable as a unit with the float valve mechanism by the removal of the plate from the tank.

A vent tube or pipe 2| extends through the cover plate 8 and is provided with a downwardly curved upper end to prevent the entrance of dirt or ,dust into the tank.

An outlet fitting 22 is attached to the bottom of the tank 5 and to which a fuel feed pipe 23 is attached leading to the carburetor (not shown) of the engine.

In the operation of the device fuel is supplied to the tank 5 from the fuel pump of the engine and the tank supplies fuel to the carburetor as soon as the engine is started, thus providing a quick starting fuel supply.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In a fuel feed system for engines including a gravity feed tank having a top, a fitting adapted for attaching in the top of the tank, said fitting having a valve seat therein and a needle valve engaging the seat, a hanger extending downwardly from the top of the tank, a float arm pivoted to the hanger and having a float at its outer end, said arm underlying the needle valve to actuate the latter, and a cage of filtering material enclosing the valve and float, said cage being fastened to the bottom surface of the top of the tank, and a part of said cage constituting a stop to limit opening movement of the valve.

' WALTER L. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 920,556 Fitts May 4, 1909 1,093,718 Myers Apr. 21, 1914 1,362,150 Shealy Dec. 14, 1920 1,598,948 Watt Sept. 7, 1926 1,722,037 Corser July 23, 1929 1,922,569 Marco Aug. 15, 1933 2,131,036 Bracke Sept. 2'7, 1938 2,156,104 Barfod Apr. 25, 1939 2,281,126 Willits Apr. 28, 1942 2,399,099 Caron Apr. 23, 1946 

